EES/WAPS road show team visits Kadena

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Personnel from Headquarters U.S. Air Force and the  Air Force Personnel Center visited Kadena July 17 to share information about changes to the Enlisted Evaluation System and Weighted Airman Promotion System.

During the briefings, EES/WAPS subject matter experts spoke about changes that have already been implemented, those slated for implementation in the months ahead, and the reasons and philosophies behind the changes.

"The primary reason for changing the process is to ensure that performance is the number one factor in how Airmen are evaluated and considered for promotion," said Chief Master Sgt. Brandy Petzel, Headquarters Air Force chief of enlisted force policy. "One of the primary factors driving the new evaluation system to change is to provide commanders with a more effective mechanism to better delineate their best performers from the majority of their Airman."

Air Force officials explained in June that with static closeout dates for each rank in place, the service would update EPR forms and utilize new forced distribution and senior rater stratification restrictions with performance as the driving factor in promotions. 

Although changes to the enlisted evaluation system are a total force initiative, the Air Reserve Component will not implement forced distribution across junior enlisted promotion-eligible grades. However, both the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard will implement senior rater endorsement restrictions for senior NCOs.

"Overwhelmingly, the USAF as a whole said, 'General, Chief, if there's one thing you can do while you're in your leadership position, please change the enlisted evaluation system.'" said Chief Master Sgt. Harold Hutchinson, Pacific Air Forces command chief. "They heard us loud and clear and gave us those changes."

For more information about EES/WAPS changes, go to the [myPers] website, select "enlisted" under the active duty, Guard or Reserve drop down menus, and then select "evaluations" in the left hand column.